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Olde Good Things

Architectural and Altered Antiques

Industrial Window Finds Its Way Home

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We love seeing how our customers put their Olde Good Things to use – especially when that use is creative and unexpected.

This 15-light steel window with pebbled glass was salvaged from a commercial building, and we imagined it finding new life in an industrial space. Customer Kris Rodammer, a creative director and brand design consultant in Boston, had a cozier image in mind – he installed it as an interior window between the kitchen and hallway in his Brookline home.

Interior windows brighten a space, and the pebbled glass in this particular window invites soft, textured light into the hallway while creating a feeling of openness in the kitchen. Six of the lights pivot on a center hinge, allowing control over the flow of sound and air by opening and closing the window. The clean lines are a perfect complement to the classic design of Rodammer’s home.

Feeling inspired? Shop our reclaimed industrial windows and bring home one of your own.

Show Off Your Style in Our Customer Showcase

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We love seeing what our customers do with their Olde Good Things. There isn’t much that makes us happier than seeing your photos of our items “in the wild” – an antique tin mirror hanging in an apartment or café, a chain leg table anchoring a newly renovated kitchen, salvaged stained glass windows bringing gorgeous color into a luxury bathroom.

We also love to share these photos with the world. In the past, we’ve highlighted some beautiful and creative uses of Olde Good Things in the Customer Showcase section of our blog. These articles are promoted across our social media and in our email newsletter, which goes out weekly to over 10,000 subscribers.

Now, we’re inviting you to participate! Whether you’re a homeowner, artist, designer, contractor, landscaper, or just someone who loves antiques, we want to hear from you.

If you’d like to be part of our Customer Showcase series, here’s what we’ll need from you:

  1. High-quality photos of your work – at least 3200 x 2400 px – with attribution information (how would you like us to credit your photos?)
  2. Context – tell us your story! What kind of project are/were you working on? How did you find Olde Good Things? Why did you choose this particular item (or items)?
  3. Permission – please confirm that we have your permission to use your photos and your story on our blog, and let us know any preferences you have for how we identify you (for example, if you only want us to use your first name, or you want us to include a link to your design firm, etc.).

Please email your photos and information to [email protected]. We’ll choose our favorites to feature on our blog in 2019-2020!

Here’s our 3 latest Customer Showcases!

Boston Showcase at the Broadway Restaurant

Texas Showcase at the a’Bouzy Restaurant

Colonial Eatery Brings Repurposed Architectural Elements

 

 

Boston Showcase at the Broadway Restaurant

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Olde Good Things has always enjoyed working with interior designers, decorators and those people who have a vision for how they want a particular space to work. Some of our favorite spaces to work in are restaurants because the décor can completely transform a space, yet it should have a function. So, when Erica Diskin of Assembly Design Studio in Boston contacted us for items that would be used in a remodeled restaurant, we were more than happy to help.

Erica and her team were tasked with creating the décor for The Broadway, a bar and restaurant in south Boston. Formerly the Boston Beer Garden, restaurateur Joey Acari decided he and his team needed a change after having spent more than two decades inhabiting the space. Acari has also converted another of his restaurants, the Playwright, into The Punk & Poet to try and keep up with the everchanging demands of the neighborhood.

Featuring wood elements salvaged from Boston Beer Garden, subway tiles and steel accents throughout the interior, the décor of the Broadway is decidedly of an industrial influence. To help enhance this aesthetic, we worked with Erica to come up with items that would fit perfectly with this décor. Holophane lights were used over tables and booths, while industrial style wall sconces were placed throughout the restaurant. Chicken wire glass was used to create partitions to section off areas of the restaurant, while copper doors were used to ingeniously hide wall-mounted televisions when not in use.

Opened on November 15th, Broadway features wide booths, communal seating and two bars within the restaurant as well as a packed menu featuring wood-fired pizzas and a cocktail list who’s highlight is a nitro cold-brewed draft martini.

If you’re a designer looking for your next piece of inspiration, stop by any of our Olde Good Things stores in New York City or Los Angeles, our giant warehouses in Scranton, Pennsylvania or at our webstore ogtstore.com. We’re not only certain you’ll find the right piece for your next project, but we’ll also offer you 15% off your purchase. Call us or stop by, we’d be glad to help you.

Texas Showcase at the a’Bouzy Restaurant

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When restaurateur Shawn Virene proposed his first solo endeavor, a’Bouzy, he had a very particular vision in mind; a culinary haven where fine wines and great food have an equal place at the table.

a’Bouzy, named after the French village Bouzy located in the heart of the Champagne region, features an effervescent and coastal Mediterranean ambience echoing the namesake’s region throughout with an open layout, exposed brick and reclaimed wood.

Olde Good Things had the pleasure of working with Shawn and his team during the design process, in the hopes of bringing a mix of both modern and antique touches to round out his ideas for the space.

To help maximize seating capacity without sacrificing space, Olde Good Things recommended our custom-built industrial wood top swing seats in the bar and in the outdoor seating areas. These seats provide a classic industrial look with modern accents. As a counter to this modern seating solution, we suggested a set of 3 antique blown glass lattice pendant lights to help anchor the space. Throughout the dining room, Shawn and his team chose to use our Altered Antiques industrial wood flooring topped tables paired with Brooklyn cast iron legs to add a worn-in vintage feel.

At Olde Good Things, we enjoy working with restaurateurs and designers to help bring their ideas to life. We offer a wide variety of both custom-built and salvaged antique products to suit any need as well as providing special pricing for the restaurant industry. So, whether you’re looking to add elements of industrial, rustic, modern, or vintage, Olde Good Things has something for every design aesthetic.

Clear Chicken Wire Glass 25% Off

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Anyone involved in even the simplest restoration, often finds themselves in search of original vintage glass perhaps for a broken glass door panel, or even an upgrade to a farmhouse chic look for their kitchen cabinetry and finds themselves searching for sources of this hard to find commodity.  Olde Good Things has been reclaiming chicken wire glass for years from many old factories and buildings and has become a reliable source for various styles of this unique architectural element.

Reclaimed Clear Chicken Wire Glass

 

Rescued from the dark depths of famous, industrial sites throughout the United States, our vintage chicken wire glass has character and history. With durability that doubles in comparison to regular glass, chicken wire glass, also known as safety glass, is also shatterproof, making it perfect for those notorious cabinet slammers in your house.

Chicken wire glass works especially well when used for wine cabinets and china cabinets. This glass intercepts over 99% of ultraviolet rays, protecting wine from rancidity and family heirlooms and pictures from discoloration caused by exposure to direct sunlight.

From a thesis entitled:  WIRE GLASS: HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT by KONSTANDENA KEFALLINOS
“The Industrial Revolution was a period of amazing evolution in the history of glass manufacture.  Plate glass technology allowed for new design and building construction concepts, but this was an imperfect technology. As the brilliant minds of the Revolution struggled to grapple with the obstacles posed by plate glass, wire glass was eventually developed. This new glass type spread across the United States in subsequent years, and eventually wire glass was associated with safety given its fire retardant and shatterproof qualities.  Wire glass was technically incredibly difficult to produce, especially in mass production, and although inventors experimented with various treatments and patterns, wire glass remained and was comparatively expensive (though people generally believed the safety benefits outweighed the costs). Wire glass fell into disfavor during the World Wars as it was replaced by newer types of glass that were more economical, but recent trends have sparked renewed interest in the use and hence preservation of wire glass. Original methods of wire glass manufacture using early wire netting patterns no longer exist…”

Thus we have made it one of the top salvage priorities to reclaim this glass and make it available once again for public use.

Our customers from Cata Restaurant has found their own ways to highlight clear chicken wire glass in their business, view below!

Cata Restaurant

 

We also have an unusual offering of oversized sheets 53 in. W x 81.75 in. H to cover large areas.  As many architectects and designers know who shop for vintage glass, large sheets of glass are quite a serendipitous find.

For the first time ever, we are offering Clear Chicken Wire Glass 25 % off which formulates it to $30 a square foot.

As stated, sizes range in sheets up to 53 in. W x 81.75 in. H.  and we will gladly cut to specific size requirements at no additional charge.

Please view online below or call to get your quote for your next project, 888.233.9678.

 

Colonial Eatery Brings Repurposed Architectural Elements

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The Assembly Design Studio designers of Ledger, a local restaurant and bar on New England’s North Shore, envisioned a “rough restoration” of the historic Salem Savings Bank — a place where customers could relax in a contemporary dining space and absorb the colorful history of Salem.

Salem Savings was erected in 1818 and is the second oldest incorporated savings bank in America. Notable bank customers of bygone days include Salem-born Nathaniel Hawthorne, dark romantic author of The Scarlet Letter, and Alexander Graham Bell, who patented the first telephone.

History comes in many flavors at this modern eatery. Regional cuisine is on the menu, inspired by traditional Colonial New England cooking techniques and local fish, meat, and produce. Local fare, cocktails mixed behind a leathered white macaubus granite bar, and fresh seafood from the oyster bar are offered in an authentic vintage industrial atmosphere. The restaurant’s decor was formed from the existing raw materials of the historic building, accentuated with reclaimed materials and distinctive pieces of architectural salvage. In the entry, visitors will walk through a glass and metal vestibule which showcases the original plaster ceiling and a custom 82” chandelier. A bank teller window adds to the ambience as guests enter the dining area, where a repurposed communal white oak table provides seating for 22. A contemporary wall crafted from metal safety box doors lends an industrial edge to the dining area, while a bank vault houses the walk-in refrigerator.

Exposed iron beams and rough brick and wood architecture provided a raw palette for the designers of Ledger to work with. Custom charred wood planking was incorporated into the design, a material reminiscent of Salem’s powerful and dark history which includes the Witch Trials and Great Fire of 1914. Other authentic details include distressed leather barstools, tufted banquettes, tile from the 1930s, and historic bank ledgers used for artistic display.

Ledger’s sophisticated vintage holophane lighting hails from the 1920s era and was supplied by Olde Good Things. The soft ambience of the fixtures offers a stark contrast to the lofty reclaimed wood inset on the ceiling and exposed iron beams. Our industrial Holophane light fixtures are sourced from factories across the Northeast and are a reminder of the Golden Age of “scientific illumination”. OGT’s extensive selection of Holophane fixtures from the 20s and 30s is salvaged and restored in our shop.

Besides their widespread usage in industry, the luminaires are ideal for contemporary commercial usage to illuminate a space without glare or dark spots. They are very popular in auction houses and amongst reclamation connoisseurs for their economical and efficient dispersion of light, along with the historic magnetism of their design.

Most Popular Holophanes

Shop all Holophane online, here.

For questions about our Designer discount, view here.

Decorating in Style with Vintage Mosaic & Subway Tiles

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When most people think of tiles, they conjure up images of those horrendously tacky squares of cheap porcelain that crowd the floor of many older homes. Fortunately, when we talk about tiles we are talking about the classic, beautifully made, and carefully salvaged vintage and antique tile that we’ve had the privilege of adding to our growing inventory.

Vintage Off White Subway Tile – Photo Credit: Bloglovin’

With so many exquisite pieces entering our showroom we are eager to share with our customers a few creative decorating ideas that incorporate vintage and antique tiles.

Decorating your living room

Decorating with tile requires that you have either a friend in construction or a skill at creative repurposing. If you want to make a show stopping conversation piece, why not take on old coffee table and decorate the top of the table by making a mosaic of broken salvaged tiles. All you need is sandpaper, tiling cement, your choice of color or plain grout, and a selection of hand-picked vintage tile from Olde Good Things. If you don’t have an old coffee table, consider using a side table, or repurposing an old trunk. Get creative and enjoy the process.

If you’d rather leave your furniture as is, why not reface your old fireplace? Using vintage or antique tiles to add color or drama to your fireplace is a great way to make something old sooty into something “olde good”.

 

Wining & dining on vintage tiles

The sheer number of remodeling shows on TV can be staggering, but many of them provide our customers with great repurposing ideas. If you’re planning to remodel your kitchen and you want to add flair that cannot be bought at Home Depot you should piece together a backsplash made entirely of salvaged vintage tiles.

Check out this photo of a backsplash that literally catches the eye and makes the heart smile! Bright, colorful, and fun!

 

Why reusing vintage tiles is “green”

If you’re looking for something that will stand the test of time and make you feel great about your materials choices, you have to call Lowes, cancel that order for bathroom tiles, and tile your bathroom using salvaged subway tiles. When you reuse old tiles you are adding an “eco-friendly” stamp to your project which can actually increase the value of your property.

Here is a selection of tile that would be perfect for a bathroom remodel.

Olde Good Things is doing its part to make the world a beautiful place, one tile at a time. It’s up to you to check out what we have in stock and let your imagination run wild.

Do you have any creative ideas for reusing vintage and antique tile? Let us know and feel free to share your photos on our Facebook page.

Made From Scratch and Olde Good Things

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The rich beauty of reclaimed wood, the timeless appeal of historical metalwork, and the vivid diversity of reclaimed glass are not things that can be easily replicated. Anyone who is building and desires the timeless look of these architectural elements knows how cost inhibitive it is to reproduce them.  Why not simply incorporate these same beautiful items from yesteryear rather than try and reproduce them?  And, yes, it is possible to design from scratch using reclaimed items!

Customer Showcase Tudor Style Home

One of our customers restored her stunning Tudor home with reclaimed materials carefully curated from Olde Good Things, designing the house from the ground up over a period of three years. Many of the items were purchased from OGT’s web store and Ebay after adoption from the Constable Estate in Westchester and a townhouse on East 10th Street, in Greenwich Village, NYC.

Current trends in home decor lean towards the modern rustic and industrial, often with a stunning combination of the two elements. Shabby chic is another popular look that hearkens back to the days of custom craftsmanship. Still, building with architectural relics is not a part of the mainstream, despite the fact that using reclaimed materials for building and restoration projects is advantageous in so many ways.

Architects and designers are turning to reclaimed materials more and more to meet the demand for sustainable architecture. Reclaimed wood and other architectural salvage pieces are an integral part of green building techniques. Re-purposed materials lessen the need for new materials to be harvested or mined and transported, and elements rescued from historic buildings scheduled for demolition keeps these treasures out of the waste cycle, where they would eventually be relegated to a landfill.

Reclaimed tiles make a lovely vintage backsplash and a one-of-a-kind focal point for the fireplace.  Originally from an Buenos Aires hacienda, they found new life in this Tudor Home.  Also from a similar home in Argentina, an entire tile wall was re-used as wainscotting to decorate a parlor room. The stained glass windows from OGT add splendor to the magnificent arches which originally decorated a Gothic style room from the lavish Constable Estate in NY State. A classic parquet floor, detailed door surrounds, gothic woodwork, and reclaimed tile result in a home like no other. Even the bannisters and exterior staircase were construed of antique iron.  The stairs and landing were designed from old heat registers.

Although using reclaimed materials can present certain logistical obstacles in a throwaway culture, many visionaries realize the inherent value in preserving and re-purposing. Reclaimed materials give a distinctive edge to any home or business with a custom style that can’t be found in new items.

We hope this example of design savvy using antique architectural items is inspirational to many who are undertaking a sustainable design project.  We have many customers who when they see these details in the rough can visualize a re-use for them.  Yet there are many who need inspiration.  We think this project serves that very purpose.

View the Tile Fireplace Surround current inventory

View the Paneled Rooms & Wainscoting current inventory

 

A Reclaimed Mantel From the Plaza Hotel Brings Inspiration to a Manhattan Loft

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The world-famous Plaza Hotel in Manhattan overlooking Central Park is an undisputed architectural beauty. Olde Good Things discovered plenty of architectural wonders inside, as well, when the new owners held a tag sale prior to renovations in 2005. Our scavenging produced, among other things, around 300 reclaimed historic mantels for us to add to our collection.

Even more exciting are what our wonderful clients are able to do with our architectural salvage pieces.

Some of our clients were able to make drastic changes to the atmosphere of their Manhattan loft with the simple addition of a Plaza Hotel mantel. The clients felt that the wood-burning fireplace in their stunning loft was far from living up to its true potential.

Salvaged Plaza Hotel Marble Mantel </p><p><a href="https://ogtstore.com/antique-mantels-fireplaces/plaza-hotel-marble-mantel/" target="_blank">View Online</a>

Just look at how this stunning mantelpiece highlights a classic interior!

 

“It should have been the focal point of our living room, but instead it just looked like a dark hole in the wall,” said Han Willem Kotterman, the loft’s owner.

The clients began an unfruitful search for a mantelpiece that would change the look and feel of the fireplace and the living area in general. The space demanded a piece with edgy, classic lines that was not subject to ornamentation overkill.

With a one-week deadline to find the perfect piece AND install it, the clients were close to giving up. Most items were either not what they wanted or would take too long to arrive. This is when they “stumbled upon” Olde Good Things and an antique marble mantlepiece recovered from the Plaza.

Salvaged Plaza Hotel Marble Mantel<p><a target="_blank" href="https://ogtstore.com/antique-mantels-fireplaces/plaza-hotel-marble-mantel/">View Online</a>

Just look at how this stunning mantelpiece highlights a classic interior!

Although the mantel was exactly what the clients were looking for, Kotterman was skeptical that the impossible deadline would be met. The mantel was dismantled and delivered within 24 hours with the help of Joe at OGT. The marble slab need some slight repair, which was done within three days, and the mantel was professionally installed within five. The clients were very pleased with the look of this piece, along with its historical feel.

Salvaged Plaza Hotel Marble Mantel<p><a target="_blank" href="https://ogtstore.com/antique-mantels-fireplaces/plaza-hotel-marble-mantel/">View Online</a>

The fireplace is truly comment-worthy, and has a great story behind it. The Plaza, after all.

To see what other architectural wonders we have in stock, call Olde Good Things at 1-888-233-9678 or visit one of our locations. We are happy to feature your project in our Customer Showcase.

Below view the original salvaged pictures of where this mantel once stood in the extraordinary Plaza Hotel. There are several mantels still left in this particular style. View all the Plaza mantels still in stock.

 

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Legendary Plaza Hotel Reclaimed
View all the Plaza inventory online now

To see what other architectural wonders we have in stock, call Olde Good Things at 1-888-233-9678 or visit one of our locations. We are happy to feature your project in our Customer Showcase.

Customer Showcase: Great Jones Apartment

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When it came time to renovate the Great Jones loft in New York City, designer Matt Bear mined our inventory of vintage glass and unique architectural elements to uncover several one-of-a-kind pieces.

As the founder of Union Studio, based in Berkeley, California, Matt’s designs are driven by the materials he uses. Every piece is an expression of his strong commitment to craft. In the case of Great Jones, he blended 20th century creative accents and a modern, minimalist style with industrial features reminiscent of the building’s 1903 NoHo factory past.

For the kitchen, Matt created a table from a slab of carrera marble and a cast iron table base that he sourced from our inventory. The stunning table provides enough room for big meals, as well as space for homework and business meetings.

The Great Jones loft kitchen

 

In addition, Matt installed two of our large, black vintage industrial lights above the kitchen island.

The Great Jones loft kitchen and living space

This gorgeous shower stall was created with industrial wire glass, one of our most popular architectural elements. The inlaid wire—which is appealing to the eye—adds shatterproof durability in addition to style.

The Great Jones loft bathroom and shower

Matt’s clients were thrilled with the renovation, noting, “Matt easily crosses the divide between architect and master craftsman, something we’ve found to be unique and very valuable.”

Check out our vintage industrial glass installation page to see more of the many jobs for which we have supplied materials. Please contact us for information on any of our products here.

All images are courtesy of Union Studio.

Olde Good Things